Printers have been developed that can print text and graphics with multiple colors on the surface of 3D objects. These printers enable a small number of objects, even a single object, to have indicia and text printed on their surfaces. These printers are particularly advantageous in retail environments where unprinted objects can be kept and then printed to provide customized appearances to the objects. This flexibility enables an unprinted inventory of objects, such as various types of balls used in various sports, to be kept at the location and then printed with the logos of particular teams. Consequently, an inventory of objects with a particular logo or color scheme is not required.
One issue arising from the printing of such objects is the adherence and durability of the ink used to print the text, graphics, and other indicia on the objects. Various chemical treatments are available for treating the surfaces of the objects immediately prior to printing the objects, but the application of the treatments can be problematic. For example, in some environments, the chemical or chemicals are applied by hand to the objects. Such applications, however, can be irregular and produce inconsistent results on the object surfaces. Some of the treating chemicals need to be applied with tolerances of 0.5 to 5 μm. Otherwise, image quality or image durability issues may arise. Additionally, some chemicals useful for surface treatment can irritate skin and cannot be applied manually. Providing an automated object surface treatment device would therefore be useful and beneficial.